Barbara Lee: determination about the renewal of that contract. >> well, this was a decision made in the department, department of state, blackwater is i think in the third year of a five-year contract, so the

Hilda L. Solis: decision was to go ahead with the next year of that contract. the fact is, senator, that we -- in order to move around securely, we are and continually rely on private contractors. we simply

Hilda L. Solis: don't have the assets within the state department diplomatic security system to do it any other way. in the wake of the september incident, we took a number of steps -- there was a memorandum of agreement

Hilda L. Solis: signed between the departments of state and defense. the multinational force and the embassy worked out a set of procedures. you now have an officer in our tactical operations center so that the

Hilda L. Solis: battle space owners have full visibility on any of these movements. we put diplomatic security agents from the state department with each security contractorcade. installed tv cameras and recorders.

Hilda L. Solis: again, a number of steps to make sure we have the tightest possible control we can overall of this and since september, there have been just three escalation of force incidents, i believe andbe

Hilda L. Solis: none of them involving any injurs. now, with respect to the contract, as you know, there is an f.b.i. investigation under way of the september incident. that is not yet concluded. when it

Hilda L. Solis: is, i, along with others in the departmen it are going to be looking at what the investigation has turned up. and iff i feel it's warranted, i would not hesitate toll recommend a cancellation

Hilda L. Solis: of the contract -- to recommend a cancellation of the contract at the recommendation of the government. >> no other firm was considered when that renewal determination was made, is that correct?

Jay Inslee: >> i'm not sure that's exactly correct, senator. and we'd have to check back with the people who actually made the determination at state. i don't think it was felt there wa s another qualified